Thanks for this. Reading is so important and yet so overlooked by too many people.
Whenever I leave home, I triple check I have at least one book in my bag: what if I'm caught riding the train for 30 minutes or one hour and I have nothing to read? This is a truly SCARY thought.
My work train commute is far too short. Sometimes I just want to sit there and keep reading and reading (I may have occasionally deliberately missed my stop and then caught a train back in the other direction, just to extend my reading time...)
You are even more hardcore than me. You may want to see a doctor!
In February, I spent four days on an island in southern Japan for work. I took a slim book with me, but then I realized it was too short and had to limit my daily reading time, otherwise I would spend the whole trip back home staring into the void. Imagine the terror. It's the bookworm's version of a horror movie!
Excellent article. I too enjoy the idea of an antilibrary! I don't know if this might be of interest to some of your readers, but 6 months ago I wrote about my methods for reading several books efficiently in a short time, not necessarily for enjoyment per se (in my case I had a week in which to review them): https://terryfreedman.substack.com/p/how-i-read-4-books-and-reviewed-them?utm_source=publication-search
Academic reading: My approach was to read the acknowledged expert's or experts' work but then seek out contrary views, because (a) the experts are often stuck in their views (I think Kuhn was more correct than Popper in his views of how orthodoxy gets overturned) and (b) the acknowledged experts get published and reviews by people in the same echo chamber. Not always of course, but I think that is definitely a thing.
At the moment I'm going through a Substack reading paralysis: there's so much good stuff to read here that sometimes it can be overwhelming. If you have a strategy for that, I'd love to hear it. Mine has been, so far, a bit of a cull of the ones I subscribe to
Thanks a lot, Terry! Useful article from you as well. :)
Agree that seeking opposing views is crucial. I try do this on any view I'm publishing and consider from different perspectives.
Substack specific reading could probably have a separate article. It's unique in the way that for some like us who are writers and on Notes (at least sometimes) the community aspect blends with the reading. That's not a bad thing but perhaps just takes more coordination. The save button has been a huge friend to me these past few months. I try to read on the platform in chunks a couple times a week. Suggestions welcome!
I also meant to say, not specifically or only about this post, that you always provide such a rich seam of reading matter and references. It's wonderful, I'm so pleased I subscribe.
I love this! I am just getting back into reading after a long child-induced hiatus and appreciate this freeing perspective on how/what/where/when to read!
Katherine, I completely agree that children make it harder to read! :) I've discovered some great children's authors, but I'm hoping in future that Buzz and I can do some chapter-book-reading together. So happy you're able to get back into it and you found this helpful!
Great timing to read this, I was already thinking ‘how can I read more this BH weekend?’, and feeling a little guilty that I’m reading only a fraction of the writers I follow here. Putting that to the back of my mind as I delve into some thoughtful reading this weekend. 😊
Resonate with all of this, Kate. Reading is suuuch an important part of my life, but I have started to notice some changes in my habits. I'm tending to prioritise reading above all other hobbies at the moment, which is great, but I have shifted away from an anxious feeling of "OMG I MUST READ ALL THE BOOKS" towards a more pragmatic approach of "I want to read the books I want to read". I.e. a more curated self list. I've gone through phases of berating myself for not being a dedicated enough reading in my youth, to accepting that I have reading as a true passion in my life.
Some other random thoughts: I'm never without a book if I've got a bag with me, which is every day on my commute. I used to struggle with the too braindead on the way home to read, but lately that's changed. I've found a certain calming reset by turning to my book on the way home and that's now the norm for me. But nothing (nothing 😆) that beats snuggling up against the train window with my book and a coffee. There's just something about being in transit and reading (+coffee) that is better than being stationary and reading (+coffee) for me.
I was wondering how your coffee consumption was going since that hiatus you once wrote about. I’m all in as well 😆 It’s such a lovely way to spend time: coffee, books, trains (writing instead of reading occasionally).
I’ve also changed. I really explicitly choose a read-speed / focus with each book on levels from, say, 1-5. Makes a huge difference. Solenoid was a 1 (focused) and worth the time.
Yeah, I read King's Holly recently and that was a speed read because, as you note in your post, it was mainly just absorbing the plot. I'm somewhere in between for Gibson's Neuromancer, which I'm currently reading. I'm tearing through it, but it does require a decent amount of concentration, so maybe it's a 2 or 3 (on the scale I have just adopted from you :P)
RE: coffee. Yes, just recently I have re-entered the glorious world of caffeine. 😊
I curate my Kindle list, very important. You write what you read they say... I am grateful for and always looking for recommendations (not looking at bestseller lists...), and again as always, so many useful resources in this article! I always see people posting about how much great stuff is on Substack, sure, but the opposite is also true and not everyone will see it that way, which is fine, tastes differ. As you say, vet what you read, read widely but selectively, read better, indeed.
Yes, yes, agree that this is just one avenue of finding good reading material. I purposefully didn't update the article to include Substack. Not that there isn't a ton of wonderful writing here, but I don't want to limit.
"A person would be lucky to have read as many as a thousand books in his lifetime, and even then could not expect to have experienced a single book in its fullness." ~~Jorge Luis Borges, paraphrased from memory. Despite being a literary joke about the Thousand Nights and One Night, I think of it often in its literal sense.
I actually do what seems like the opposite of you: for deeper reading, I basically read the first time relatively superficially and then subsequent rereads I take my time, page by page, trying to make sure I understand everything: looking up references or words I don't know, stopping myself if my scanning is advancing past my comprehension, writing about the book, etc. The first read is just to see if it's a book I'm interested in rereading. If, when I'm done with the book, I don't feel the need to reread it, I donate it to a little free library. No reason to keep it around. The exceptions are if I know the author personally or the book is signed, or if it's somewhat like a reference or instructional book for my career.
With regard to online articles and posts, I have come to prefer the subscription email (newsletter) method. I used to try to save links on a doc and experimented with an app, but frankly if I "save for later" I never go back. An inbox has a very clear top-to-bottom unread chronology, and if I find I'm deleting something more often than reading it, I can just unsubscribe. Usually I take a couple of hours on Mondays to clear through anything I haven't casually read throughout the week, but if it's too much stuff I just mass delete anything that doesn't have a really gripping subject line.
By the way for Substack specific folk, I have learned that often means discarding a lot of fiction, especially serialized fiction. In argument I would prefer fiction content to essays and think pieces, but in practice it's just the way it is for me. No shade intended, but this may be why the fiction leaderboard is rarely fiction — I may not be the only one.
For what it's worth, when I read fiction I prefer a page to a screen. Screens scream ephemeral.
DB, sounds like you have some great methods of ensuring you read the way you want and get the most of it. Curation / saving for later are so key for me as well when it comes to anything online.
Sure, although I publish and read fiction online, I also prefer print. I see it as almost more of a workshop and community space, which I also find has a lot of benefit.
Increasingly I 'm reading fiction and memoir on Substack, because the writing is excellent and the opportunity to have an ongoing dialogue with the author is unique in my reading experience. (So be prepared for comments as you unfold your novel!)
I also enjoy reading certain books over and over. I read carefully to find new insights and new passages that strike me. It's also a barometer of who I am at different times.
Looking forward to our comment conversations, David! For me, that's the best part about publishing (fiction) online.
I like this reflection that we see the way we change through our reaction to books. I've certainly seen this over the years. Experience and world views can change, or simply our understandings of our own strengths and truths. I've just gone back to Tess after about twenty years for the purposes of curriculum review and have found exactly this effect.
Not the best one to give advice based on quantity, haha. But concentrated reading is the big difference. You'll read a lot more voraciously when you read what you feel worthy of reading to begin with. With world literature, liking certain authors from a certain country also provides an opportunity to expand one's tastes since many countries are not all just one flavor. Though they are often marketed as such.
In terms of quantity, the most I can say is: keep your pile short. One can have a small pile if it's for instance, a novel, an essay collection, a poetry collection and a nonfiction work. Or something that stands apart from the others like that. But it's not something to make a habit of. The shorter the better.
Of course reading as part of your studies is one thing, reading for pleasure another, but I feel that to get the most out of my reading it's best to free my mind and let it wander wherever it wants to. I read according to my mood. Very often I have several books on the go at once and I rotate. Since joining Substack I have found that I read even more because there is so much to enjoy on this platform it's hard to tear yourself away! I do most of my book reading before I go to sleep at night, falling asleep in the process as you mentioned. I read whatever I fancy and I don't worry (any more!) about how quickly I am getting through things or what's next. I am currently reading three of your books, including the one you are serialising here, and savouring every paragraph. A Hong Kong Story is downloaded to my phone, so that has expanded my book reading to daytime as it is easy to read a bit of it when I have a moment. I'm also reading a Hilary Mantel and a Dorothy L Sayers.
I do sometimes regret the amazing books I will never read but it's the journey that's important. No point pining for the destinations you might not get to 😊 I'm like George Carlin's dog: he doesn't make any plans, he just does whatever's next! 😆
Love this attitude, Jules! Filled with good advice as well. Mood reading is completely my thing, too. :) Occasionally I must read against mood due to something I'm teaching or working on...and it usually doesn't go so well. In fact, I often stop and try another time, when the mood seems appropriate. Some might call it procrastination, but it's efficiency and pleasure combined!
So cool my book is on your phone. :) The other two are great company. I've also dappled with books-on-phone. It is just so convenient that it's right there. I started it when I was breast feeding for many hours years ago now.
Yes, again, if you have to read for your work that's different. I actually resent reading anything boring, like terms and conditions or instructions. My brain fights it!
I've never read a book on my phone before. Tech is not my field of expertise so when you sent the link I just asked husband what to do, downloaded app and book and off to go! It works well, actually so that's another tiny step in my tech education 😄 A very pleasant reading experience all round!
Oh yes, this kind of reading is stress-inducing because I think about the good reading it's standing in the way of. I read of lot of "literature" for work! Lucky me. So it's not that bad, often reading lists made by me. Still, when there's a deadline, or it's something you're supposed to like but just can't...that's hard. :) I'm happy even to read student papers, but when the brain fatigue kicks in...I guess that's why I like espresso so much.
I loved this piece when I first read it and think it might have been the first of yours I came across! It has been so useful in reminding myself that I can't read everything out there, even as a researcher, but that reading "better" and "deeper" is far more important. Thank you for re-sharing :)
I find I need to remind myself as well. :) For me, it's more about containment, or selection and curation. Your newsletter helps us consider the reasons for deep reading.
I really love this idea! It is so welcome in a world where there seems to be so much distraction and yet so much reading material I want to get through. Thank you for sharing; I think I will return to this piece over the next few days as it contains so many useful ideas.
How insightful, thank you Kathleen! I remember as a child I could devour so many books. Well, those were the days! Now I can only squeeze a few per year and read slowly. (I could read lots of poetry books, but it's a different kind of reading.) I have to be selective too. Lately when I make phyllo dough or crepes I squeeze in 10 pages of reading and walking at the same time. It makes the activity less monotonous.
Thanks for this. Reading is so important and yet so overlooked by too many people.
Whenever I leave home, I triple check I have at least one book in my bag: what if I'm caught riding the train for 30 minutes or one hour and I have nothing to read? This is a truly SCARY thought.
Haha, I'm with you Gianni.
My work train commute is far too short. Sometimes I just want to sit there and keep reading and reading (I may have occasionally deliberately missed my stop and then caught a train back in the other direction, just to extend my reading time...)
You are even more hardcore than me. You may want to see a doctor!
In February, I spent four days on an island in southern Japan for work. I took a slim book with me, but then I realized it was too short and had to limit my daily reading time, otherwise I would spend the whole trip back home staring into the void. Imagine the terror. It's the bookworm's version of a horror movie!
Haha, so true.
Four days on a Japanese island ... what is this paradisiacal job you have?
I'm a writer and journalist.
You can read about my adventure here https://giannisimone.substack.com/p/1-adventures-in-shodoshima
Thanks for the link!
I hope you like it.
What book(s) are you enjoying now?
Yes! And a notebook!
And a camera, if I plan to go for a longer walk. I always mean to take a notebook with me, but I often forget.
Excellent article. I too enjoy the idea of an antilibrary! I don't know if this might be of interest to some of your readers, but 6 months ago I wrote about my methods for reading several books efficiently in a short time, not necessarily for enjoyment per se (in my case I had a week in which to review them): https://terryfreedman.substack.com/p/how-i-read-4-books-and-reviewed-them?utm_source=publication-search
Academic reading: My approach was to read the acknowledged expert's or experts' work but then seek out contrary views, because (a) the experts are often stuck in their views (I think Kuhn was more correct than Popper in his views of how orthodoxy gets overturned) and (b) the acknowledged experts get published and reviews by people in the same echo chamber. Not always of course, but I think that is definitely a thing.
At the moment I'm going through a Substack reading paralysis: there's so much good stuff to read here that sometimes it can be overwhelming. If you have a strategy for that, I'd love to hear it. Mine has been, so far, a bit of a cull of the ones I subscribe to
Thanks again for a great article
Thanks a lot, Terry! Useful article from you as well. :)
Agree that seeking opposing views is crucial. I try do this on any view I'm publishing and consider from different perspectives.
Substack specific reading could probably have a separate article. It's unique in the way that for some like us who are writers and on Notes (at least sometimes) the community aspect blends with the reading. That's not a bad thing but perhaps just takes more coordination. The save button has been a huge friend to me these past few months. I try to read on the platform in chunks a couple times a week. Suggestions welcome!
I also meant to say, not specifically or only about this post, that you always provide such a rich seam of reading matter and references. It's wonderful, I'm so pleased I subscribe.
So kind. Thank you, Terry!
I love this! I am just getting back into reading after a long child-induced hiatus and appreciate this freeing perspective on how/what/where/when to read!
Katherine, I completely agree that children make it harder to read! :) I've discovered some great children's authors, but I'm hoping in future that Buzz and I can do some chapter-book-reading together. So happy you're able to get back into it and you found this helpful!
Great article. I needed to read this!!! Love the discussion on how to structure your reading - really takes the pressure off. Thank you!
Great timing to read this, I was already thinking ‘how can I read more this BH weekend?’, and feeling a little guilty that I’m reading only a fraction of the writers I follow here. Putting that to the back of my mind as I delve into some thoughtful reading this weekend. 😊
Thanks Leila, happy to hear that!
I have to constantly remind myself of this. When I do, it always feels so much better to read.
Resonate with all of this, Kate. Reading is suuuch an important part of my life, but I have started to notice some changes in my habits. I'm tending to prioritise reading above all other hobbies at the moment, which is great, but I have shifted away from an anxious feeling of "OMG I MUST READ ALL THE BOOKS" towards a more pragmatic approach of "I want to read the books I want to read". I.e. a more curated self list. I've gone through phases of berating myself for not being a dedicated enough reading in my youth, to accepting that I have reading as a true passion in my life.
Some other random thoughts: I'm never without a book if I've got a bag with me, which is every day on my commute. I used to struggle with the too braindead on the way home to read, but lately that's changed. I've found a certain calming reset by turning to my book on the way home and that's now the norm for me. But nothing (nothing 😆) that beats snuggling up against the train window with my book and a coffee. There's just something about being in transit and reading (+coffee) that is better than being stationary and reading (+coffee) for me.
Thanks for such a great comment! :)
I was wondering how your coffee consumption was going since that hiatus you once wrote about. I’m all in as well 😆 It’s such a lovely way to spend time: coffee, books, trains (writing instead of reading occasionally).
I’ve also changed. I really explicitly choose a read-speed / focus with each book on levels from, say, 1-5. Makes a huge difference. Solenoid was a 1 (focused) and worth the time.
Definitely a 1 for that book.
Yeah, I read King's Holly recently and that was a speed read because, as you note in your post, it was mainly just absorbing the plot. I'm somewhere in between for Gibson's Neuromancer, which I'm currently reading. I'm tearing through it, but it does require a decent amount of concentration, so maybe it's a 2 or 3 (on the scale I have just adopted from you :P)
RE: coffee. Yes, just recently I have re-entered the glorious world of caffeine. 😊
They say it’s good for us 😉 (the coffee)
I curate my Kindle list, very important. You write what you read they say... I am grateful for and always looking for recommendations (not looking at bestseller lists...), and again as always, so many useful resources in this article! I always see people posting about how much great stuff is on Substack, sure, but the opposite is also true and not everyone will see it that way, which is fine, tastes differ. As you say, vet what you read, read widely but selectively, read better, indeed.
Yes, yes, agree that this is just one avenue of finding good reading material. I purposefully didn't update the article to include Substack. Not that there isn't a ton of wonderful writing here, but I don't want to limit.
Thanks Alexander!
For students, reading for quality should be the most pleasurable reading possible. Otherwise they maybe chose the wrong major : )
Oh yes, reading should be fun. School should be fun. But in my mind, hard work can also be fun! :)
Thanks for reading and your comment, Richard!
"A person would be lucky to have read as many as a thousand books in his lifetime, and even then could not expect to have experienced a single book in its fullness." ~~Jorge Luis Borges, paraphrased from memory. Despite being a literary joke about the Thousand Nights and One Night, I think of it often in its literal sense.
I actually do what seems like the opposite of you: for deeper reading, I basically read the first time relatively superficially and then subsequent rereads I take my time, page by page, trying to make sure I understand everything: looking up references or words I don't know, stopping myself if my scanning is advancing past my comprehension, writing about the book, etc. The first read is just to see if it's a book I'm interested in rereading. If, when I'm done with the book, I don't feel the need to reread it, I donate it to a little free library. No reason to keep it around. The exceptions are if I know the author personally or the book is signed, or if it's somewhat like a reference or instructional book for my career.
With regard to online articles and posts, I have come to prefer the subscription email (newsletter) method. I used to try to save links on a doc and experimented with an app, but frankly if I "save for later" I never go back. An inbox has a very clear top-to-bottom unread chronology, and if I find I'm deleting something more often than reading it, I can just unsubscribe. Usually I take a couple of hours on Mondays to clear through anything I haven't casually read throughout the week, but if it's too much stuff I just mass delete anything that doesn't have a really gripping subject line.
By the way for Substack specific folk, I have learned that often means discarding a lot of fiction, especially serialized fiction. In argument I would prefer fiction content to essays and think pieces, but in practice it's just the way it is for me. No shade intended, but this may be why the fiction leaderboard is rarely fiction — I may not be the only one.
For what it's worth, when I read fiction I prefer a page to a screen. Screens scream ephemeral.
DB, sounds like you have some great methods of ensuring you read the way you want and get the most of it. Curation / saving for later are so key for me as well when it comes to anything online.
Sure, although I publish and read fiction online, I also prefer print. I see it as almost more of a workshop and community space, which I also find has a lot of benefit.
Thanks for the great comment.
Thanks Kathleen for this essay.
Increasingly I 'm reading fiction and memoir on Substack, because the writing is excellent and the opportunity to have an ongoing dialogue with the author is unique in my reading experience. (So be prepared for comments as you unfold your novel!)
I also enjoy reading certain books over and over. I read carefully to find new insights and new passages that strike me. It's also a barometer of who I am at different times.
Looking forward to our comment conversations, David! For me, that's the best part about publishing (fiction) online.
I like this reflection that we see the way we change through our reaction to books. I've certainly seen this over the years. Experience and world views can change, or simply our understandings of our own strengths and truths. I've just gone back to Tess after about twenty years for the purposes of curriculum review and have found exactly this effect.
Thank you, David!
Not the best one to give advice based on quantity, haha. But concentrated reading is the big difference. You'll read a lot more voraciously when you read what you feel worthy of reading to begin with. With world literature, liking certain authors from a certain country also provides an opportunity to expand one's tastes since many countries are not all just one flavor. Though they are often marketed as such.
In terms of quantity, the most I can say is: keep your pile short. One can have a small pile if it's for instance, a novel, an essay collection, a poetry collection and a nonfiction work. Or something that stands apart from the others like that. But it's not something to make a habit of. The shorter the better.
I've no doubt based on your writing, Felix, that this quantity is still very well digested! You have huge breadth and depth.
"worthy of reading"...yes! This comment is incredibly insightful and one to perhaps sit with and ponder more deeply (in my case).
Good advice here as well as a lovely comment. Thank you!
Of course reading as part of your studies is one thing, reading for pleasure another, but I feel that to get the most out of my reading it's best to free my mind and let it wander wherever it wants to. I read according to my mood. Very often I have several books on the go at once and I rotate. Since joining Substack I have found that I read even more because there is so much to enjoy on this platform it's hard to tear yourself away! I do most of my book reading before I go to sleep at night, falling asleep in the process as you mentioned. I read whatever I fancy and I don't worry (any more!) about how quickly I am getting through things or what's next. I am currently reading three of your books, including the one you are serialising here, and savouring every paragraph. A Hong Kong Story is downloaded to my phone, so that has expanded my book reading to daytime as it is easy to read a bit of it when I have a moment. I'm also reading a Hilary Mantel and a Dorothy L Sayers.
I do sometimes regret the amazing books I will never read but it's the journey that's important. No point pining for the destinations you might not get to 😊 I'm like George Carlin's dog: he doesn't make any plans, he just does whatever's next! 😆
Love this attitude, Jules! Filled with good advice as well. Mood reading is completely my thing, too. :) Occasionally I must read against mood due to something I'm teaching or working on...and it usually doesn't go so well. In fact, I often stop and try another time, when the mood seems appropriate. Some might call it procrastination, but it's efficiency and pleasure combined!
So cool my book is on your phone. :) The other two are great company. I've also dappled with books-on-phone. It is just so convenient that it's right there. I started it when I was breast feeding for many hours years ago now.
Thanks for a wonderful comment, Jules.
Yes, again, if you have to read for your work that's different. I actually resent reading anything boring, like terms and conditions or instructions. My brain fights it!
I've never read a book on my phone before. Tech is not my field of expertise so when you sent the link I just asked husband what to do, downloaded app and book and off to go! It works well, actually so that's another tiny step in my tech education 😄 A very pleasant reading experience all round!
Happy to prompt some tech education! haha :)
Oh yes, this kind of reading is stress-inducing because I think about the good reading it's standing in the way of. I read of lot of "literature" for work! Lucky me. So it's not that bad, often reading lists made by me. Still, when there's a deadline, or it's something you're supposed to like but just can't...that's hard. :) I'm happy even to read student papers, but when the brain fatigue kicks in...I guess that's why I like espresso so much.
Haha! Coffee is the answer to most problems, I find 😉
I loved this piece when I first read it and think it might have been the first of yours I came across! It has been so useful in reminding myself that I can't read everything out there, even as a researcher, but that reading "better" and "deeper" is far more important. Thank you for re-sharing :)
Ah, thanks so much, Kate!
I find I need to remind myself as well. :) For me, it's more about containment, or selection and curation. Your newsletter helps us consider the reasons for deep reading.
Aww, thanks! I always worry I maybe bombard readers with too many books to read haha
Thank you for this, Kathleen! I'm always trying to refine my strategies on reading, and also not bite off more than I can chew.
I really love this idea! It is so welcome in a world where there seems to be so much distraction and yet so much reading material I want to get through. Thank you for sharing; I think I will return to this piece over the next few days as it contains so many useful ideas.
How insightful, thank you Kathleen! I remember as a child I could devour so many books. Well, those were the days! Now I can only squeeze a few per year and read slowly. (I could read lots of poetry books, but it's a different kind of reading.) I have to be selective too. Lately when I make phyllo dough or crepes I squeeze in 10 pages of reading and walking at the same time. It makes the activity less monotonous.